Draft gear



D. F. s'PRoUL July-19, 1932.

DRAFT GEAR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original FledFeb. 17, 1926 W NN mw QN IViIIIIIlv m ugr July 19, 1932.

D. F. sPRoUL DRAFT GEAR Original Filed Feb. 17, 1926 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 D. F. SPROUL July '19, 1932.

DRAFT GEAR Original Filed Feb. 17, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 had IEK

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Patented July 19, 1932` PATENT? A Donation. srnoftiii, orfcicneo, ILLI'NoIs, Assisnon'iro UNION DitArr .Corin e n I yconrom-r'rIoiv or DELAWARE DRAFT GEAR :Appucatiaaie'a lieti-"naryi7,:ieaefseriainassaui). aeneweavmarchsae, 192s. Y f

Y i v,The'invention relatesfto draft gearsfof'the friction type adapted especially for ,use

connection with freight cars. L Its Aobjects Aareto secure a highdegree of L efiiciency, simplicityE of construction, and `cerf tainty of release.` a f d l t ffl preferred embodiment jofthe invention is hereinafter described, and is illustrated in the accompanying.V drawings, in. which F ig.` l is a central longitudinal pl.an sec tionof the gear as applied toV arailway car, and is shown inrelease position; -l

Fig. 2 is a plan view of-ythel gear under compression in buff, some of the parts being brokenzawayland some of. lthepartsv being shown vin section; .i Y Fig; `{3i-is ar transverse tion;` i Fig.4 i is a1 longitudinal vertical central central. verteal SSC- A d section,the gear being inrelease position; Fig. 5.1s a similar view,v the gear being shown` under compression indi-aft Y.

, Fig. 6 is a-viewin perspective offene-half Fig.17 is a viewin perspective of one of` the wedge shoes formingzan element of the Clear i' .Z` g f .11-

b For the purpose of showing the application ofithe geary toa Vrailway car,.jtliere'y is represented a Npair ofpcenter. or f ldraft sills l0, 10, eachbeing jprovidedwiththe usual draft lugs ll, 11, and buiiinglugs 1,2, 12.

`A couplerz buttis shown atl?) and it lYQke l V A or extensions-at .714.- 1 These elements formno .part of; the invention, andiin'ay be ,n n l y n n n '2l is provided near its rearward end witha desired construction.V i

Ay pair. offollower members-l5, cooper- 40 ate, respectively, withthe draft and buiiing] lugs,anddirectly associatedwith each followermeinber isa casing' 17, 18,havingintegralit op, bottom and side walls, and being i open; at both its inner and outer ends... Inasinuch..V as these casings', are always seated f against the follower members they are made as separatel elementspnly'ffor convellnce of manufacture andassembly and for. permittingl Vthe vuse ofV different character of" metal '5o iirthehlcasings and follower members.A TheV the springs may be-.substantiallyedual tothe r ings;

followerinembers and corresponding casings n constitute what for convenienceof descriptionwillbe termed the vfollower means.`

vEach of the casings 17,#18,`is provided vwith wedge faces, 'asl9,preferablyformed 55 integral therewith and associated `-fwiththe outer fend of each side wall. Each of these wedge faces is inclined loutwardly,fromthe rear end of the casing, that `isto say, toward `the middle of the gear, in orderfthat itfmay e0 have a, compressive action lasthe gear is closed. a i C t.

' `Associated `with" each of these wedgesuij-V faces,l and cooperating therewith, is :a shoe 2.0,.the inner surfaceof which, facing the `G5 i Vlongitudinal center ofthe gear, is flat. l.

nterposed between the shoes 20 at oppoi .site sides of the gearis a group of;y inter- .d

calating friction plates V2l, vthe group being composed-ofvtwo sets of plates 22, 23, theorie .70 `.cooperating with the forward and theother with the rearward follower.

L A-set of powerful springs, preferablyfour nlnumbler, as shownl at24, 25,265,27, react directly between the two casings, whichare ..re cessed,( as shown at, 28,j toreceive these springs, the recessesextendingI to the outer A end ofthe casing in order that the length of normal distance v.b etweenthe two followerL members. 1-

A pair of. springs29, 3f),react@respectively,` directly betweenA the two y'shoes 2Q'v atv eachside ofthe gear,-an'd areofless power than the Se@ 'Qf Srfinesojorefating iiththe Ces- 55 @Each ofthe friction "plates of .thegroup i pair of forwardly facing" shoulders 31,*32,

for engagement withfa pair lof retractinggj70 f i bars 33, 34.' These bars are engaged, upon. -release,by'shoulders 35, 36,"formed on the n v i top and bottom-'walls of the casing 17. rlhe the butts of the plates back into contact with the follower. -While the retractive movement of the shoes, as 20, under the influence of the springs 29, 30, tends to move4 the retracting bars still farther back, this movement is 'arrested 'by Vthe frctional'len agement of the shees lwith the wedging 'sr aces of the `casings before the butts of the plates reach the followers, and hence the buttsof 'the' friction plates -are 'alwa sv normally slightly removed from the fol 'ow'ers when the gear is in release position. c I A As either follower is advanced the friction plates are put under pressure by the 'coopera'- tive action of the wedges before any movel ment ofthe plates takes place, andthe shoulders, 3:5, 53E/of lthe casing, 'and 37 of the shoes, `are moved out of Contact `with the retraeting bars at 'that end of the gear. As the inovement 'of the easing commences before that vof the slices, and the Acasing advances slight- 'ly 'more than the shoes, the shoulders 35, 36, are vrn'ove'd farther lfrom the bars than are th-e'l'sh'oulders 37. When the advancing follower' makes Contact with the ends of the plates adjacent to itthese plates are carried forward with the wedging elements, and because of their friction'al engagement with the other set of plates immediately bring the latter into 'Contact with the follower with which 'their butts are associated. The movement of the latter set of plates being? now arrested, thev advancing plates move relative- 'ly 'to' them", developing' a high degree 'of 4friction ein consequently ,absorbing the compressing pressure which is beingl 'ir'erte'd upon the gear, this friction being augmented by thepa'ction o'f the rwe"dges 1at the opposite end;l The wal-ls of 'the ca'sings -are'of such lengtfh that the two oasihgs 'coine intok 4"contact when `the fdesired limit of compressive movement has been `reache'd.

Upon the removal of the compressing pressure the springs 24 to 'Q7 immediately s'tart the advanced casing backwardly, vand the compressive wedging action is immediately relieved.z 'The backward movement of the 'advanced shoes commences substantially simultaneously with that, of theeasing. The shoulders of the retractin'g shoes 'make contact with the releasing bars before the'yare engaged by the easing Smulders, and as ai@ plates are still under compression, especially at their farther ends, and as the bars can move vbackwardly only as the set of advanced plates are withdrawn, the shoes are `retarded, permitting-the furtherseparation 'of the cooperating wedging faces. When the casing shoulders kengage the releasing bars the plates are 'carried 'back by the full spring pressure.

Thefbackx'v'ard movement of the fz'i'dv'anted pistes carnes tack the other 'set of plates until their shoulders 'engage the releasing bars at that e'nd lof the gear, "and the corresponding shoes are, by the same means, with- Y drawn.

wardly facing wedge surfaces, wedge shoes cooperating with the severallcasin wedge surfaces@ gup of i'ntec'al'ating p etes in'- t'erposed between the shoes on opposite sides of the gear, springs reacting betweenthe casings, springs reacting between lthe shoes 4on correspond-ing sides ofl the gear, retracting bars engaging each set of plates, and retreating shoulders en the easings idf engagingr` 7the bars on l'easer 2. In a draft gear, combination, a pair cf bppesed casi-figs sich having Han-ng forwardly 4facin'g; wedge sl'irf'i'cesyA wedge shoes cooperating with the several casin" wedge snrfaces, av group of intercalating' ip atesintefpesed between 'the snees en opp-@site sides of the gear, Springs, reacting between the casings, springs betweenthe shoes corresponding sides of ythe gear, retracting bars eng'ging ealh set of plates, and retraetlin'g shoulders en the 'shoes and casings for engaging the bars on release. l

'3. In a draft geen, yin combination, apen* of opposed casings each w'edgesur- 'faces' converging teward lthe outer 'end of the casing, wedge shoes cooperating with 'the several casing wedge surfaces, a group of intercalating plates interposed bdtweenjtlle shees 'sides of the gear, springs reacting Uetween tle clsinigsg springs reacting between the (on cerspondin'g 'sides 'of the gear, retracting bars' lengaging "each 'sa er pates, iarsaesgshenefs en cssings for engaging the bars on release, the' distance from the casing' sheuliders' 'to tl'e Vfollower "'t each end of gear being' greater than the distance from the outer ends of the plates zto rthe `sheuld'r engaging' faces of the bass' wneisy 'when said gen is n nor/mi fisse 'sesam the aufeieflds vor san pines wifi-1 ne' spaced seid ffeuowrs.

4.. in s @mit ga s, J binnen, t ir ief opposed casi-rigs having wedge surfetes @beweging tra-ward the cuter @sa f the "casing, sebstaitifeny r'ctsngelar' in cross section wedge shoes cooperating with 'the fse'vein easing wedge enfasi-1s, grot-pfof intercalati'ng pilates interposed between the Shel-s in @sosia or che gear, spi-ings reacting between the esing's at the folli` "cornei-S aereas, and entendis fbsta'nuauy the "rali length 'er the' gear,- fsinmgs reacting between the corresponding sidiesffof 'the gen, arresting lisis engaging lesen set of ipilfes, rewriting sadness en the' @sings and' steeg les wie bars en release, sin seing wasted 15o-engagea pievent abscess f the gaat.

5. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair y Y of opposed follower members, a casing extending inwardly from each of said members, l wedge faces within each casing, wedge faced shoes co-operating with the several firstnamed set of wedge faces, intercalating fric-` tion plates located between the shoes at op-` posite sides of the gea-r, resilient means `for resisting compression of said gear, and for returning the parts to normal position after release, means for operatively connecting the shoes and casing successively with the plates during release action. i

6. vIn Va draft gear, a pair of follower Y means, a group of intercalated friction plates between said follower meansl and adapted to be operated thereby, wedge mechanism at each side of said group of plates atreach end thereof, resilient means for resisting relative 2o movement of the parts of said mechanism during compression, and means including retracting bars and shoulders on-said follower means and on said wedge mechanism for engaging said retracting bars for retractingV said plates and for restoring the partsto normal position after compression. y In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' DONALD SPROUL.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

PatentNo. 1,868,295. l July 19, 1932.

DONALD F. SPROUL.

It is hereby certified that error appears inthe printed specification of theA above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 11S, claim 4, after the word "casings" insert the words and comma substantially rectangular in cross section,; and lines 117 and 118, same claim, strike out the words substantially rectangular in cross section; and that the said Letters Patent. should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conformv to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of October, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

